Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Molecular Phylogeny of the Chipmunk Genus Tamias Based on the Mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit II Gene

  • Published:
Journal of Mammalian Evolution Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Complete sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit II gene were used to construct a phylogeny for 21 of the 25 currently recognized chipmunk species. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that T. striatus (subgenus Tamias, eastern United States) and T. sibiricus (subgenus Eutamias, Asia) are distantly related to the other species (subgenus Neotamias), which constitute a western North American radiation. We discuss and compare our molecular phylogeny to previous taxonomies and present a suggested classification of the species groups for the subgenus Neotamias.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

LITERATURE CITED

  • Adams, D. R., and Sutton, D. A. (1968). A description of the baculum and os clitoris of Eutamias townsendii ochrogenys. J. Mammal. 49:764–769.

    Google Scholar 

  • Adkins, R. M., and Honeycutt, R. L. (1994). A molecular examination of archontan and chiropteran monophyly. In: Primates and Their Relatives in Phylogenetic Perspective, MacPhee, R. D. E. ed., pp. 227–249, Plenum Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allen, J. A. (1891). A review of some of the North American ground squirrels of the genus Tamias. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. III:42–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, S., Bankier, A. T., Barrell, B. G., de Bruijn, M. H. L., Coulson, A. R., Drouin, J., Eperon, I. C., Nierlich, D. P., Boe, B. A., Sanger, F., Schreier, P. H., Smith, A. J. H., Staden, R., and Young, I. G. (1981). Sequence and organization of the human mitochondrial genome. Nature (London) 290:457–465.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baker, R. H. (1956). Mammals of Coahuila, Mexico. Univ. Kansas Publ., Mus. Nat. Hist. 9:125–335.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bergstrom, B. J., and Hoffmann, R. S. (1991). Distribution and diagnosis of three species of chipmunks (Tamias) in the front range of Colorado. Southwest. Nat. 36:14–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blakenship, D. J., and Bradley, G. L. (1984). Electrophoretic comparison of two southern California chipmunks (Tamias obscurus and Tamias merriami). So. Calif. Acad. Sci. 84:48–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bremer, K. (1988). The limits of amino acid sequence data in angiosperm phylogenetic reconstruction. Evolution 42:795–803.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burgwardt, L. C., Jr. (1967). A comparison of certain members of the genus Eutamias by blood serum protein electrophoresis. Zoology, pp. 4799-B–4800-B.

  • Burt, W. H. (1960). Bacula of North American mammals. Misc. Pub. Mus. Zoo. Univ. Michigan 113:1–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Callahan, J. R. (1975). Status of the Peninsula chipmunk. J. Mammal. 56:226–269.

    Google Scholar 

  • Callahan, J. R. (1980). Taxonomic status of Eutamias bulleri. Southwest. Nat. 25:1–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Conley, W. H. (1970). Geographic variation in the Least chipmunk Eutamias minimus, in New Mexico and eastern Arizona. J. Mammal. 51:695–702.

    Google Scholar 

  • Felsenstein, J. (1985). Confidence limits on phylogenies: an approach using bootstrap. Evolution 39:783–791.

    Google Scholar 

  • Felsenstein, J. (1993). PHYLIP: Phylogeny Inference Package (ver 3.5). University of Washington, Seattle.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fleharty, E. D. (1960). The status of the gray-necked chipmunk in New Mexico. J. Mammal. 41:235–242.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grinnell, J. (1915). Eutamias sonomae, a new chipmunk from the inner northern coast belt of California. Univ. Calif. Pub. Zool. 12:321–325.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall, E. R. (1981). The Mammals of North America, Vol. 1, 2nd edn., John Wiley and Sons, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hardy, R. (1945). The taxonomic status of some chipmunks of the genus Eutamias in southwestern Utah. Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 58:85–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hasegawa, M., Kishino, H., and Yano, T. (1985). Dating of the human-ape splitting by a molecular clock of mitochondrial DNA. J. Mol. Evol. 22:160–174.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffmann, R. S., Anderson, C. G., Thorington, R. W. J., and Heaney, L. R. (1993). Family Sciuridae. In Mammal Species of the World, D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder, eds., pp. 419–465. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D. C.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffmeister, D. F., and Ellis, S. L. (1979). Geographic variation in Eutamias quadrivittatus with comments on the taxonomy of other Arizonan chipmunks. Southwest. Nat. 24:655–666.

    Google Scholar 

  • Honeycutt, R. L., Nedbal, M. A., Adkins, R. M., and Janecek, L. L. (1995). Mammalian mitochondrial DNA evolution: A comparison of the cytochrome b and cytochrome c oxidase II genes. J. Mol. Evol. 40:260–272.

    Google Scholar 

  • Howell, A. H. (1922). Diagnoses of seven new chipmunks of the genus Eutamias, with a list of the American species. J. Mammal. 3:178–185.

    Google Scholar 

  • Howell, A. H. (1929). Revision of the American Chipmunks, No. 52. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Biological Survey, Washington, D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  • Howell, A. H. (1938). Revision of the North American Ground Squirrels, No. 56. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Biological Survey, Washington, D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  • Irwin, D. M., Kocher, T. D., and Wilson, A. C. (1991). Evolution of the cytochrome b gene of mammals. J. Mol. Evol. 32:128–144.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, D. H. (1943). Systematic review of the chipmunks (genus: Eutamias) of California. Univ. Calif. Publ. Zool. 48:63–148.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kain, D. E. (1985). The Systematic Status of Eutamias ochrogenys and Eutamias senex (Rodentia: Sciuridae). Master's thesis. Humboldt State University.

  • Kimura, M. (1980). A simple method for estimating evolutionary rate of base substitutions through comparative studies of nucleotide sequences. J. Mol. Evol. 16:111–120.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kusukawa, N., Yemori, T., Arada, K., and Kato, I. (1990). Rapid and reliable protocol for direct sequencing of material amplified by the polymerase chain reaction. Biotechniques 9:66–72.

    Google Scholar 

  • Layne, J. N. (1954). The os clitoridis of some North American Sciuridae. J. Mammal. 35:357–366.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levenson, H., and Hoffmann, R. S. (1984). Systematic relationships among taxa in the Townsend chipmunk group. Southwest. Nat. 29:157–168.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levenson, H., Hoffmann, R. S., Nadler, C. F., Deutsch, L., and Freeman, S. D. (1985). Systematics of the Holarctic chipmunk (Tamias). J. Mammal. 66:219–242.

    Google Scholar 

  • Long, C. A., and Cronkite, D. (1970). Taxonomy and ecology of sibling chipmunks in central Colorado. Southwest. Nat. 14:283–291.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore, J. C. (1959). Relationships among the living squirrels of the Sciurinae. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 118:159–206.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nadler, C. F. (1964). Contributions of chromosomal analysis to the systematics of North American chipmunks. Amer. Midl. Nat. 72:298–312.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nadler, C. F., and Block, M. H. (1962). The chromosomes of some North American chipmunks (Sciuridae) belonging to the genera Tamias and Eutamias. Chromosoma, (Berlin) 13:1–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nadler, C. F., Hoffmann, R. S., and Lay, D. M. (1969). Chromosomes of the Asian chipmunk Eutamias sibiricus Laxmann (Rodentia: Sciuridae). Experientia 25:868–869.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nadler, C. F., Hoffmann, R. S., Honacki, J. H., and Pozin, D. (1977). Chromosomal evolution in chipmunks, with special emphasis on A and B karyotypes of the subgenus Neotamias. Amer. Midl. Nat. 98:343–353.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nadler, C. F., Hoffmann, R. S., and Levenson, H. (1985). Biochemical and morphological relationships among Holarctic chipmunks. Acta Zool. Fenn. 170:19–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patterson, B. D. (1980). A new subspecies of Eutamias quadrivittatus (Rodentia: Sciuridae) from the Organ Mountains of New Mexico. J. Mammal. 61:455–464.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patterson, B. D. (1981). Morphological shifts of some isolated populations of Eutamias (Rodentia: Sciuridae) in different congeneric assemblages. Evolution 35:53–66.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patterson, B. D. (1982). Pleistocene vicariance, montane islands, and the evolutionary divergence of some chipmunks (Genus Eutamias). J. Mammal. 63:387–398.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patterson, B. D. (1984). Geographic variation and taxonomy of Colorado and Hopi chipmunks (Genus Eutamias). J. Mammal. 65:442–456.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patterson, B. D., and Thaeler, C. S. (1982). The mammalian baculum: hypotheses on the nature of bacular variability. J. Mammal. 63:1–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pena, N. T., and Kocher, T. D. (1995). Patterns of nucleotide composition at four fold degenerate sites of animal mitochondrial genomes. J. Mol. Evol. 41:353–358.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rohlf, F. J. (1982). Consensus indices for comparing classifications. Math. Biosci. 59:131–144.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sorenson, M. D. (1999). TreeRot version 2. Boston University, Boston, MA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spicer, G. S. (1995). Phylogenetic utility of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase gene: molecular evolution of the Drosophila buzzatii species complex. J. Mol. Evol. 41:749–759.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stanley, W. T. (1991). An Analysis of the Biogeographic Relationships of Four Populations of the Uinta Chipmunk (Eutamias umbrinus) Using Phallic Morphology. Master's Thesis, Humboldt State University, Arcata, California.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sullivan, R. M. (1985). Phyletic, biogeographic and ecological relationships among montane populations of least chipmunks (Eutamias minimus) in the southwest. Syst. Zool. 34:419–448.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sullivan, R. M., and Petersen, K. E. (1988). Systematics of southwestern populations of least chipmunks (Tamias minimus) reexamined: a synthetic approach. Occ. Papers Southwest. Biol. 5:1–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sutton, D. A. (1982). The female genital bone of chipmunks, genus Eutamias. Southwest. Nat. 27:393–402.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sutton, D. A. (1987). Analysis of Pacific coast Townsend chipmunks (Rodentia: Sciuridae). Southwest. Nat. 32:371–376.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sutton, D. A. (1995). Problems of taxonomy and distribution in four species of chipmunks. J. Mammal. 76:843–850.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sutton, D. A., and Nadler, C. F. (1969). Chromosomes of the North American chipmunk genus Eutamias. J. Mammal. 50:524–535.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sutton, D. A., and Nadler, C. F. (1974). Systematic revision of three Townsend chipmunks (Eutamias townsendii). Southwest. Nat. 19:199–212.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swofford, D. L. (1999) Paup*. Phylogenetic Analysis Using Parsimony (*and Other Methods). Version 4.0b2. Sinauer Assoc., Sunderland, MA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wade, O., and Gilbert, P. T. (1940). The baculum of some Sciuridae and its significance in determining relationships. J. Mammal. 21:52–63.

    Google Scholar 

  • White, J. A. (1953a). Genera and subgenera of chipmunks. Univ. Kansas Publ. Mus. Nat. Hist. 5:545–561.

    Google Scholar 

  • White, J. A. (1953b). Taxonomy of the chipmunks, Eutamias quadrivittatus and Eutamias umbrinus. Univ. Kansas Publ. Mus. Nat. Hist. 5:563–582.

    Google Scholar 

  • White, J. A. (1953c). Geographic distribution and taxonomy of the chipmunks of Wyoming. Univ. Kansas. Publ. Mus. Nat. Hist. 5:583–610.

    Google Scholar 

  • White, J. A. (1953d). The baculum in the chipmunks of western North America. Univ. Kansas Publ. Mus. Nat. Hist. 5:611–631.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang, Z. (1994). Maximum likelihood phylogenetic estimation from DNA sequences with variable rates over sites: approximate methods. J. Mol. Evol. 39:306–314.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yoder, A. D., Vilgalys, R., and Rovolo, M. (1996). Molecular evolutionary dynamics of cytochrome b in strepsirrhine primates: The phylogenetic significance of third position transversions. Mol. Biol. Evol. 13:1339–1350.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, 94132

    Antoinette J. Piaggio

  2. Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, 94132

    Greg S. Spicer

Authors
  1. Antoinette J. Piaggio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Greg S. Spicer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Piaggio, A.J., Spicer, G.S. Molecular Phylogeny of the Chipmunk Genus Tamias Based on the Mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit II Gene. Journal of Mammalian Evolution 7, 147–166 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009484302799

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009484302799

Search

Navigation